Recapping a wild NHL weekend for London-and-area players

It was a wild weekend in the National Hockey League, with unrestricted free agents signing new deals, others inking contract extensions with their clubs and a few being traded.

Here’s a recap of the changes this weekend for players with connections to the London region:

THE BIG ONE

John Tavares, the former London Knights star, became arguably the biggest unrestricted free agent to ever change teams. Making the story even bigger? He switched to his hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tavares had spent his entire nine-year career with the team that drafted him out of London, the New York Islanders.

A pair of players who played together with the London Junior Knights signed eight-year contract extensions with their NHL teams – just as the window to do so opened. Drew Doughty and Logan Couture would both have been eligible for unrestricted free agency one year from now, but instead they both were locked down by L.A. and San Jose, respectively. Both got maximum-length contracts: Doughty got an eight-year deal worth $88 million, and Couture’s is eight years, $64 million.

Drew Doughty

JOE’S BACK

St. Thomas native Joe Thornton – a surefire hall of famer – isn’t ready to hang them up yet. The 39-year-old is coming back once more for San Jose, signing his second straight one-year deal. This time, it’s for $5 million.

NEW YORK, NEW DEAL

Vladislav Namestnikov, 25, is a former London Knights forward – and now he’s likely to be a New York Rangers stalwart until 2020. He signed an extension for two seasons that will pay him $4 million annually.

MCCANN CAN

London native Jared McCann signed a two-year contract extension with the Florida Panthers. He scored nine goals and 28 points with them last season.

ROR ON THE MOVE

Clinton native Ryan O’Reilly was traded in something of a blockbuster, going from the listless Buffalo Sabres to a very strong St. Louis Blues team. A big package of players and picks went to Buffalo. O’Reilly, who played his OHL hockey with Erie, is considered a high-end centreman.

NEW TO NASHVILLE

One-time London Knights player Zac Rinaldo signed a one-year deal worth the league minimum, $650,000, with the Nashville Predators. He played 53 games with Arizona last season. Former Knights defenceman Jarred Tinordi signed an identical pact with the Predators.

SETH THE JET?

London Knights alumnus Seth Griffith, a Wallaceburg native, signed a one-year, $650,000 deal of his own – with Winnipeg. He’s bounced around the NHL a bit, but played 21 games last season with Buffalo.